PRINTRJD2: The man with a musical midas touch
A DJ with a mind, genre and acronym all his own
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN MCMAHON
February 11, 2010 | 12:00 a.m. CST
RJD2 has been categorized as a mash-up artist bordering the instrumental and electro-pop genres — somewhere between soul, funk and psychedelic. Whatever the description, the point is that placing RJD2’s music in any one genre is, as the DJ himself puts it, virtually impossible.
Born Ramble John Krohn in Eugene, Ore., in 1976, RJD2 initially saw himself becoming a scratch DJ. He bought his first turntable back in high school from a friend who sold him the already discounted equipment along with a hefty collection of vinyl. Around that time, he started playing house parties and then raves, eventually going out to hip-hop nights.
Since then, RJD2 has not only created four sensory-stimulating solo albums but also established his own record label in 2009, RJ’s Electrical Connections. He made the jump to television in 2007 by writing the theme song for Mad Men, which won him an award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Producers for Best TV Theme in 2009. But according to RJD2, the high point of his career was when the creators of The Simpsons did a montage of the Mad Men opening credits featuring his music.
His ability to juggle it all is part of why RJD2 has built up a solid fanbase. Columbia DJ Drew Wilson, known as Alpaca, is a die-hard RJD2 fan. “What’s cool and underappreciated about his live performance is his ability to multitask,” says Wilson, who has seen RJD2 perform twice before. “It’s hard enough to rein in beats on two turntables sometimes, let alone keeping your eyes and ears on four.”
For RJD2, the idea that anyone would pay to see a DJ seems ludicrous, and for a long time he thought it would never happen. “It’s surreal that we’ve reached a point socially where it has become acceptable to go see someone perform on stage with only their laptop, but there’s a skill set even in that,” he says.
Because of that mindset, RJD2 throws in all the originality he can to make his shows worth the ticket price. “RJD2 is definitely a live performance,” says Blue Note booking agent Peter McDevitt. “The main thing with RJD2 is that he’s got this certain element of creativity.”
Creativity was RJD2’s dominant goal on his latest album, The Colossus, one more reason why placing RJD2 in any genre is bound to fail. “I want to achieve as much disparity as possible between songs,” he says, though he quickly changes his tune. “At the end of the day, who cares? It’s just music.”
RJD2
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m.
WHERE: The Blue Note
CALL: 573-874-1944
COST: $15
I WANT YOUR 6
Vox accosts performers and music fans with a sharp pencil and forces them to answer six questions. This week, mix-master RJD2 has got the answers.
What is your favorite album?
Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life.
What album do you wish would spontaneously combust?
Anything racist.
What is the best live show you’ve ever seen?
Radiohead’s Hail to the Thief (tour).
What band is so last year?
I’m not up on trends at all.
Build your dream band.
D’Angelo singing, the drummer from the Dustin Martin World, John Lord as organ player, Curtis Mayfield on guitar and James Jamerson on bass.
What is your favorite make-out album?
Tortoise’s Millions Now Living Will Never Die.
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